Wolves may be promoted by Saturday

Wolverhampton Wanderers moved to within one win of automatic promotion to the Barclays Premier League with their last-gasp victory at Pride Park and know that, mathematically, their quest for top-flight football could be fulfilled at home to QPR on Saturday.

Wolverhampton Wanderers moved to within one win of automatic promotion to the Premier League with their last-gasp victory at Pride Park and know that, mathematically, their quest for top-flight football could be fulfilled at home to QPR on Saturday.

Mick McCarthy’s men needed a goal in the 87th minute by striker Andy Keogh to clinch maximum points over Derby County with a 3-2 win and remain in the box seat for the end-of-season run-in.

Wolves’ success came as closest rivals and neighbours Birmingham City were again unable to make ground on the Coca-Cola Championship league leaders with their second draw to lower-placed opponents in a week.

Alex McLeish’s team were 1-0 down after goalkeeper Maik Taylor saw red for a foul on Jamie Mackie and Paul Callagher scored the resulting penalty.

Blues battled back however, despite being a man light for 67 minutes, with Franck Queudrue heading home from a free kick.

Wolves lie six points clear of Birmingham with the rest of the chasing pack also dropping points again. Reading lost a comfortable two-goal lead at Bloomfield Road to allow Blackpool back into the game for a 2-2 draw while Sheffied United, the league’s in-form team on a run of five games unbeaten, were unable to break down a ten-man Nottingham Forest side after Kelvin Wilson was sent off for headbutt on Glen Halford.

Wolves winger Kyel Reid admitted the chance to secure promotion was within touching distance having come on in the second half for Dave Edwards to help in the build-up play to his side’s winner.

The West Ham United loan player said: “That was a really important three points for us.

“It is very close now. Everyone in the team is buzzing now - we want to win every game.

“I think we are there now,” he added. “We just maybe need to win another one or two games and we will be fine.”

Reid confessed his team-mates had been keeping one eye on their rivals from the wings. “Some of the boys were worried about results elsewhere and when we got in and heard no one else had won we were buzzing.